"The unique power of the horse to interrupt a cycle of trauma and hopelessness is unmatched!"
- Donna Eckwortzel, Executive Director
Hearts Landing Ranch (HLR) is an award-winning 501(c)3 nonprofit offering Equine-Assisted Psychotherapy (EAP) — a proven, ground-based approach to healing trauma, PTSD, anxiety, depression, and more. Our therapy partners are rescued horses. Our clients are veterans, first responders, at-risk youth, and families who desperately need and deserve, real help.
90% of our clients cannot afford care without a scholarship. Donor generosity is the only reason they can get the help they need.
This is not a "riding program", Hearts Landing Ranch Programs go beyond traditional talk therapy. We offer individualized ground based, hands-on, solution-oriented Sessions where Participants discover root cause(s), find and practice solutions in order to move forward in their lives. Sessions are designed to bring about words to feelings they might have never expressed.
WHO WE SERVE
Veterans & Active Military
→ PTSD, Military Sexual Trauma (MST), anxiety, depression, and reintegration challenges
→ HLR is the only EAGALA Military-certified facility in Northern California
→ Serving those who gave everything — and came home carrying it
"I don't expect a quick fix to any of my PTSD and anxiety, but attending equine therapy enabled me to think, act, talk, and express my feelings about things I haven't been able to express before — in a very safe and comfortable environment."
— Bryan, U.S. Army, Desert Storm Veteran · EAGALA Military Program, Fall 2024
First Responders & Firefighters
→ Compassionate care for the heroes who carry the invisible weight of their service
→ Those who protect and serve others daily, often at great personal cost
At-Risk Youth (Ages 9–17)
→ The population least likely to receive mental health care
→ Equine therapy creates breakthroughs where traditional talk therapy has struggled
→ Mentoring program builds life skills, confidence, and healthy relationships through ranch activities
Individuals & Families
→ Trauma, abuse, eating disorders, addiction, anxiety, depression, and more
→ Couples and families seen together — healing as a unit, not in isolation
OUR PROGRAMS
1. Equine-Assisted Psychotherapy (EAP)
→ Individual 1:1 sessions and group sessions tailored to each person
→ Each session: licensed mental health professional + certified equine specialist + 1–9 horses
→ Treats PTSD, trauma, anxiety, depression, eating disorders, sexual trauma, and behavioral disorders
→ Ground-based only — clients interact with horses naturally, without riding
→ Clients often share more in 8 weeks than in years of traditional talk therapy
2. Veteran Services
→ EAGALA Military-certified — the only program of its kind in Northern California
→ Addresses PTSD, Military Sexual Trauma, isolation, and the challenges of reintegration
→ Trauma-informed, nonverbal connection with horses — no words required to begin healing
3. Mentoring Program (Youth)
→ Weekly one-on-one mentoring for at-risk youth paired with a caring adult mentor
→ Builds life skills, responsibility, and experience of a healthy relationship
→ Activities: horsemanship, seed-to-stomach gardening, creative arts, and animal care
4. Community & Family Programs
- Family group sessions - healing together, not in isolation
- Seed-to-Stomach Gardening Program - connecting growth in the garden to growth within
Our mission: To build a community that transforms lives — one rescued horse and one healing human at a time. We believe no one should be turned away from mental health care because they can't afford it.
Needs
HOW YOUR DONATION HELPS
We try to never turn anyone away due to inability to pay. Full scholarships, partial scholarships, and sliding-scale fees are available — made possible entirely by donors and sponsors like you.
Mental Health Scholarships — Our #1 Need
→ 90% of clients depend on full or partial scholarships — your gift is their care
→ 8-week group session scholarship: $1,500 per person
→ 8-week individual (1:1) session scholarship: $2,500 per person
→ 8-week veteran group session (6 participants): $9,000
→ Sliding-scale fees and fully free services available to those without any funds
Sponsor a Rescued Horse
→ $5 to $500 per month — every dollar supports feed, care, and veterinary needs
→ Your sponsored horse is an active member of the therapy team, healing people every session
→ HLR is a safe haven for horses who have known nothing but hardship — your gift gives them purpose
Build Covered Therapy Space
→ We work year-round — weather should never interrupt a veteran's or child's healing